Rotary shelf mounting



Jan. 26, 1965 H. D. SQUIRE ROTARY sum" MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13. 1960 INVENPOR. a fldpau e H. D. s ulRE 3,167,186

ROTARY SHELF MOUNTING Jan. 26, 1965 Filed June 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTY.

opening at any selected elevation.

3,167,186 ROTARY SHELF MOUNTHNG Herbert D. Squire, Galesburg, lll., assignor to Admiral Corporation, Chicago, llh, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 13, 196i}, Ser. No. 35,621 11 Claims. (Cl. 211-15tl) This invention relates to a mounting for a shelf and more particularly to a mounting to cantilever a shelf from one of the side walls of the interior of a refrigerator.

More specifically the invention comprehends a mounting for a shelf in a domestic refrigerator having an access opening. The mounting is adjacent one of the vertical edges of the access opening parallel to which is a mounting track to which a mounting bracket is anchored to be slid longitudinally thereon and be releasably secured at a selected elevation. The shelf is provided, at one of its ends, with a pair of coaxial pintles normal to the plane of the shelf and journaled in bearings on the mounting bracket for the shelf to be swingable through the access A feature of the improved mounting is mechanism for correcting deviations of the plane of the shelf from a substantially horizontal position as the shelf is viewed through the access opening.

Shelves pivotally supported centrally of the access opening were unsatisfactory because the transverse size of objects that could be accommodated by the shelves was limited by the distance between the pivotal shelf support and adjacent vertical surface of said access opening.

Pivotal support of shelves from their ends involved a great deal of cantilevered shelf surfaces subject to vertical displacement and/or deflection or maladjustment about their support, especially when the shelf was heavily loaded. And this construction called for thickening of the shelf structure and consequently less space between shelves.

Another advantage of the present invention is an in crease in the size of objects that may be accommodated by shelves sustained by the improved supports as compared to shelves pivotally supported intermediate the ends of the shelves.

Another advantage involves means for correcting vertical maladjustment of a cantilevered shelf about its support, the means also affording a medium to compensate for downward deflection of a shelf by a load.

Still another advantage of the invention is that a cantilevered shelf of thickness less than previously in use may now be used.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved refrigerator shelf mounting making for ease of access to objects shelved in a refrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to correct undesired tilt of shelves about their pivotal support.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for correcting undesired tilt of any one of the shelves without disturbing the horizontal setting of any other shelf.

Other advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or

may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the upper portion of a domestic refrigerator in which the improved shelf mounting is incorporated;

United States Patent 3,157,18fi Patented Jan. 26, 1965 FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the shelf mounting, drawn to an enlarged scale, parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2, parts being shown in a different position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the shelf mounting, the shelf having been removed;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the rear of the movable bracket shown in FIG. 4, the same having been removed from the fixed track;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 77 of PEG. 4, the lower bushing having been removed;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the antifriction liner;

FIG. 9 is a top plan View of the adjustable bushing, and

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Also in the drawings, the reference character 11 is used to denote a domestic refrigerator, in its entirety. It includes a cabinet proper 12 having a storage compartment 13 partly defined by spaced, side walls 14 on either side of an access opening 15, the access opening being closeable by a door 16 hinged to the cabinet 12. The refrigerator 11 also includes a plurality of vertically spaced shelves 17, 18, 19, etc. on which objects such as comestibles may be stored. And each of the shelves 17, 18, 19 is independently pivoted to one of the walls 14.

To understand how the shelves 1'7, 18, 19, etc. are anchored to the wall 14, reference should be made to FIGS. 2 and 4 where it will be noted that the wall 14 bears a vertical track or bracket 21. It may be fixed by any suitable means to the wall 14. It is preferably of aluminum and uniformly throughout its length the track is of T-sha-ped cross-section, thereby to provide opposed flanges 22 in spaced relation to the wall 14. Between the flanges the track 21 is formed with a row of holes or latch seats 23 spaced uniformly from each other for the greater part of the length of the track 21 for a purpose to be indicated hereinafter.

Each of the shelves 17, 18, 1?, etc. is formed with pintle means including a pair of pintles 24 and 26 arranged normal to the plane of the top of the shelves. Additionally, one pair of pintles is adjacent one of the front corners of each of the shelves, and the pintles of each pair are in coaxial relation to each other so that the shelves may be swung outwardly of the cabinet as will later be apparent.

Each of the shelves is coupled to the track 21 by a separate mounting bracket or movable bracket 27. Each bracket 27 has a pmr of vertically spaced arms 28 and 29 which are arranged to extend forwardly; that is, away from the wall 14. Rearwarclly thereof, the bracket 27 is formed with a groove 31, FIG. 5, in which the track 21 is received. Rearward of its upper end, the bracket 27 is formed with a pair of flanges 32 which impart to the slot 31, a T-shaped cross-section for a fraction of the length of said bracket, the T-shaped cross-section being complementary to the transverse section of track 21. The flanges 32 extending between the flanges 22 and wall 14 serve to slidably anchor the movable bracket 2'7 t0 the track 21.

if desired, an antifriction liner may be employed on either side of the groove 31 to space the movable bracket 27 from thefixed bracket 21.1. Such a liner 33 for the A right hand side of the groove, FIG. 6, is shown in FIG. 8.

Where one aluminum part is frictionally associated with another aluminum part it is desirable that some measure be adopted toavoid the likelihood of the parts seizing or binding and thereby obstructing relative movement between the parts when relative movement'is desired. The liner 33 is preferably of some suitable plastic material such as nylon and may be molded to provide not only a covering for the side walls of the groove 31 but integral to also anchor the liner to the movable bracket27. 7 From the upper end of the bracket27 the, liner 33 extends downward only as far as apair of clearance recesses36 for anchor screws 37 for .a purpose later to be'indicated.

The bracket 27 is releasably secured at a selected elevation by latch mechanism which includes, in addition to the series of holes 23 in the track 21, a boss-or pin 38on the bracket 27 downward of the groove 31. The boss 38 is formed to be received in any one of the holes .23 and when so received, the weight of the shelf 18 urges the displacement of the 'pin 38 from that hole '23, in which it is received.

For the boss 38 to be repositioned on the track 21 there is sufiicient clearance between the flanges 22 and walls of the groove 31 for the bracket 27 to have limited 10 caps 34 to embrace opposed walls'of the lugs 32, as means bracket downward about the flanges 22and thus precludes pivotal movement about an axis intermediate the ends of f the flanges 32 Adjacent the wall 14, the flanges32 are formed. with walls 39 sloping upward and away from wall 14 for clearance to enable the movable bracketto be When in this position, and

swung to its FIG. 3 position. consequently unlatched from the track 21, the shelf 27 is lifted to-or lowered to a different and selected elevation. Then the shelf and bracket 27 are rocked down 'ward until the boss 38 is in a different hole 23 at the new selected elevation.

As will be noted, FIG.'2, the boss 38 may be an integral part of the bracket or may include a short length of a metal rod 41 having a coaxial bore in' which is received a non-metallic insert or core 42 of some suitable friction resistant material such as nylon.

segregates the metallic part of the boss from possible frictional engagement with the track 14 when the boss 38 is moved between selected apertures thereby to .avoid scratching of the track by the end of said pin.

As previously stated, each of theshelves 17, 1'8, 19, etc. has a separate but similar pivotal mounting; Therefore the mounting in connection withshelf 17 only will be de-' scribed. It, of course, includes the arms 28 and 29, the upper one of which'is preferably an integral part of the bracket while the lower arm 29 is detachable. The upper arm 28 is formed with a bearing socket 43 which is symmetrical of the sides of arm 28. The bearing socket 43 opens'downward and is formed to tightly receive therein a pintle bushing or bearing 44 formed with a 7 formed with a lower pintle socket 56 which is eccentric of theperiphery of the bearing 54 toan extent equal to the eccentricity of the socket 53 with respect to the upper socket 43. It will therefore be understood that the lower bearing 54 can be turned to a point, with respect to the socket 53, Wherein the lower pintle socket 56 is coaxial with the upper pintle socket 46, an adjustment which, for convenience, may-be arbitrarily referred to as a normal adjustment for the lower bearing 54. The lowerbearing 54 has an integral'adjustment portion 57 extending into the bore 52 and formed toreceive a torque tool such as a screw driver for turning the bearing 54 in the socket 53.

As the lower pintle socket 56 is moved laterally from its normal position, the axis of the pintles 24 and 26 is moved out'of coaxial relationship to the bearing socket 43 and pintle socket 56. For this to be effected the bushing 44 is provided with the curvedbearing surfaces 47, the only peripheral part of the bushing 44' to have engagement'with the socket 43 so that the bushing 44 may tip with the pintle/24. Additional provision for the tipping is the spaced relationship of thebushing 44 from the inner end of socket 43. The pintle socket 56, on the other hand, is of a diameter which tapers increasingly from its inner end to its outer end thereby for the pintle 26 to tip about its lower end as the bushing is turned, no provision being'made for tipping of the bearing 54.v

To secure the bearing 54 against angular displacement from a selected position, aplurality of pins 58, preferably three innumbnFIG. 7, are fixed to the bearing portion 49 on an arc concentric of the bore 52. The bushing 54, on the other hand, is formed with a multiplicity of holes 59 on an arc aboutthe axis of the adjustment porti0n57.

' All of the holes 59"are of uniform diameter and formed to severally receive the pins58.

If it is found on assembly of the parts above referred to that one-end of the shelf 18 is at an elevation differing from the elevation of the opposite end of the shelf, it is, of course, advisable that the bearing 54be turned to move the shelf to a horizontal position Before this can be done, however,'the bushing must be rnovedaxially upward preferablyrb y pressing'upward on the adjustment The insert extends slightly beyond the free end of the boss 38- and'.

portion 57 by a-screwdriver until the bushing 54'is out of engagement with the pins '58. Then the bearing 14 is {turned through a desired increment by' the screwdriver pintle socket 46 concentric with the periphery of said pintle bushing. Additionally, provision is made. for tipping of the bushing44 in the socket 43 by formation of the bushing with arcuate lateral bearing surfaces (see FIG. 2) for cooperation with the side walls of socket 43.

i The lower arm 29 and upper arm 23 extend laterally slightly toward the access opening 15. The lower arm 29 is received between a pair of edge flanges 48,, on the bracket 27, between which the arm. 29 is secured by the screws 37. The arm 29 has a bearing portion 49 from which a fence portion 51 extends upward and obscures the greater part ofthe lower pintle 26. The lower end of the bearing portion-49 is formed with a bore 52 open- .ing into a counterbore or lower bearing socket53 con centric with said counterbore The bearing socket 53 is eccentric of the. upper bearingsocket 43, FIG. 4, the greatest eccentricity being to .the left of the arm 29;

Mounted inthe socket 53 is a lower pintle bearing 54 until another group of holes are over the pins 58 whereupon the bushing 54 is lowered to its former elevation whereinthe pins again prevent angular mi'sadjustment of the bearing'54. l i i While my inventionhas been :described in an embodi- 'ment thereof, I am aware that numerous and extensive "departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I.- In a refrigerator. cabinet having a storage cavity defined'partly by a vertical wall and an access opening adjacentan edge of said wall, a normally horizontal shelf .pivotally. movable through said access opening, a pintle on each of the upper and lower sides of said shelf, said p-intles being disposed on a common axis, a bracket sup- :ported from said wall adjacent said access opening, a pair of vertically spaced arms on said bracket, a pintle bearing in each of said arms, each of said pintle bearings having one of the pintles journaled therein for said shelf to swing about said common axis through said access opening, said 'of: the upper and lower sides of said shelf, said pintle's being on a common axis, a bracket supported from said wall adjacent said access opening, apair of vertically spaced arms on said bracket, a bearing socket in each of said arms, and a pintle bearing in each of said sockets for receiving said pintles and pivotally supporting said shelf for movement through said access opening, one of said bearing sockets having a concentric bearing therein and the other bearing socket being axially offset with respect to said one socket and having an eccentric pintle bearing therein, said eccentric pintle bearing being rotatably mounted in said eccentric socket, said eccentric pintle bearing tilting said shelf relative to a horizontal position by being turned in said offset socket thereby to swing one end of the axis of said pintles laterally with respect to said concentric pintle bearing.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet having a storage compartment defined partly by a vertical wall adjacent an edge of which is an access opening, a shelf having a length less than the width of said access opening, a pintle extending from opposed sides of said shelf, said pintles being on a common axis, a bracket supported from said wall adjacent said access opening, a pair of vertically spaced arms on said bracket, a bearing socket in each of said arms, a pintle bearing in each of said bearing sockets, each of said pintle bearings having a pintle socket for one of said pintles to be journaled in whereby said shelf may be pivotally supported to swing through said access opening, said lower bearing socket being arranged in eccentric relation to said upper bearing socket, said lower pintle caring having a pintle socket eccentric of its periphery equal to the eccentricity of said lower bearing socket relative to said upper bearing socket thereby for said pintle axis to be arranged normally parallel to the axes of said bearing sockets, said lower pintle bearing being formed to be turned in said lower socket to swing the lower end of said pintle axis relative to the upper end thereof, said upper pintle bearing being formed with an annular crown intermediate its ends for peripheral engagement thereof with said upper bearing socket to permit said upper pintle bearing to be tipped in said upper bearing socket with swinging of said pintles to adjust the position of said shelf relative to a horizontal position thereof, said lower arm having a bore concentric with said lower bearing socket, an operating portion on said lower pintle bearing, said operating portion being receivable in said bore and being formed to receive a rotative tool and be turned thereby for turning said lower pintle bearing in said lower socket, and a stop in said lower arm, said lower pintle hearing being formed with a plurality of stop engageable surfaces severally to cooperate with said stop when said pintle axis is adjusted but disengagcable from said stop by shifting of said lower pintle bearing axially in one direction for reengagement of a different stop surface with said stop after said lower pintle hearing has been rotated from its first setting.

4. A device a defined in claim 3 wherein one of the racket arms is removable to facilitate mounting of the pintles in said pintle bearing.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein the vertically spaced arms are metallic and the pintle bearings are nonmetallic to avoid squeaking by movement of said pintles in said pintle bearings with swinging movement of said shelf.

6. In a refrigerator cabinet having therein a storage cavity partly defined by a vertical wall and an access opening adjacent an edge of said well, a vertical track on said wall adjacent said access opening, a bracket formed with upper and lower ends, first coupling means on said track, second coupling means on the back of said bracket, both of said coupling means being of complementary transverse formation for coupled cooperation with each other whereby said bracket is slidably anchored to said track, a friction resistant element connected to one of said coupling means and extending between both of said coupling means to reduce friction of said bracket in sliding over said track, a shelf pivoted to said bracket to swing horizontally through said access opening, latch means comprising a vertical row of latch sockets on said track,

a composite latch member on said bracket, said latch member being of formation complementary to each of said sockets for latched cooperation with a selected latch socket thereby to latchably secure said shelf at a selected elevation, said second coupling means being at the upper end only of said bracket and formed for said bracket to be rocked about its upper end by lifting said shelf to tilt said shelf upward about said second coupling means to unlatch said latch member from said selected latch socket and thereby free said bracket to he slid to another selected elevation and thereat latchably secured by rocking said bracket in the opposite direction, and a friction resistant element on said latch member to engage said track between said sockets when said shelf is moved to a different elevation to avoid scratching of said track by said latch member.

7. A shelf mounted for rotation about a pintle means, the upper portion of said pintle means being received by first supporting means, the lower portion of said pintle means being received by second supporting means, one of said supporting means being laterally movable with respect to the other of said supporting means whereby said pintle means and the axis of rotation of said shelf may be adjustably tilted to compensate for varying shelf loads and maintain said shelf in substantially horizontal orientation.

8. A shelf cantilevered on a pintle means for rotation thereabout, said pintle means being mounted on a supporting structure through upper and lower mounting means, one of said mounting means being selectively movable laterally with respect to the other of said mounting means whereby said pintle means may be tilted through a plurality of angular positions relative to said supporting structure to compensate for varying deflections of said shelf under differing load conditions and to establish the plane of rotation of said shelf at a desired angle to vertical.

9. A shelf as set forth in claim 8 wherein one of said upper and lower pintle mounting means is adapted for rotation about a fixed eccentric axis through a plurality of positions, said pintle being disposed at a different angle to vertical for each of said positions, and including manual means for selectively moving said rotatable mounting means into any of said plurality of positions.

10. A shelf assembly for a refrigerator or the like comprising a support bracket adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of said refrigerator, said bracket having a a vertical trackway, a pivot bracket mounted for vertical sliding movement in said trackway, cooperating means on said brackets for releasably retaining said pivot bracket at a preselected location within said trackway, upper and lower arms rigid with said pivot bracket, said arms having facing bores, a pair of bushings mounted in the respective bores in said bracket arms, each of said bushings having a bearing socket, the bearing socket of one of said bushings being eccentric with respect to the bore in which said one bushing is mounted, a pivot pin rotatably supported at its opposite ends in said sockets, a shelf carried by said pivot pin, and means to releasably retain said one bushing in a selected rotated position to maintain said shelf level.

11. A shelf assembly for a refrigerator or the like comprising a support bracket adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of said refrigerator, said bracket having a vertical trackway, a pivot bracket mounted for vertical sliding movement in said trackway, cooperating means on said brackets for releasably retaining said pivot bracket at a preselected location within said trackway, upper and lower arms rigid with said pivot bracket, said arms having facing bores, a pair of bushings mounted in the respective bores in said bracket arms, each of said bushings having a bearing socket, the bearing socket of one of said bushings being eccentric with respect to the bore in which said one bushing is mounted, a pivot pin rotatably supported at its opposite ends in said sockets,

a shelf carried by said pivot 'pin, and means to releasably retain said one bushing in a selected rotated position to maintain said shelf level, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a detent member carried by said pivot bracket selectively engageable with one of a number of recesses disposed, around the periphery .of said one bushing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

1,182,529 "Dinkel May 9, 1916 Crippen Apr. 16, 1918 Hartman Mar. 23, 1937 Levy Oct. 22, 1957 Robinson Mar. 10, 1959 Pulaski -2- Oct. 11, 1960 Johnson Dec. 6, 

1. IN A REFRIGERATOR CABINET HAVING A STORAGE CAVITY DEFINED PARTLY BY A VERTICAL WALL AND AN ACCESS OPENING ADJACENT AN EDGE OF SAID WALL, A NORMALLY HORIZONTAL SHELF PIVOTALLY MOVABLE THROUGH SAID ACCESS OPENING, A PINTLE ON EACH OF THE UPPER AND LOWER SIDES OF SAID SHELF, SAID PINTLES BEING DISPOSED ON A COMMON AXIS, A BRACKET SUPPORTED FROM SAID WALL ADJACENT SAID ACCESS OPENING, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED ARMS ON SAID BRACKET, A PINTLE BEARING IN EACH OF SAID ARMS, EACH OF SAID PINTLE BEARINGS HAVING ONE OF THE PINTLES JOURNALED THEREIN FOR SAID SHELF TO SWING ABOUT SAID COMMON AXIS THROUGH SAID ACCESS OPENING, SAID SHELF HAVING A TENDENCY TO SAG UNDER LOAD, AND MEANS FOR LATERALLY ADJUSTING ONE OF SAID BEARINGS WHEREBY SAID COMMON AXIS MAY BE SHIFTED FROM THE VERTICAL TO COMPENSATE FOR SAID SAG. 